The first Sunday of Advent falls on November 29 this year. It opens four weeks of waiting and preparing for Christmas. If you need a First Sunday of Advent Prayer right now, read this one aloud:
Lord Jesus, as this season of Advent begins, we turn our hearts toward your coming. The people that walked in darkness saw a great light, and that light was you. Wake us from the hurry and noise of December. Teach us to wait with hope, to prepare room for you, and to watch for your return. Fill us with all joy and peace in believing. Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.
Many churches and families mark the day by lighting the first candle on an Advent wreath. Most Protestant churches call it the candle of hope; some call it the prophecy candle, because it remembers the prophets who foretold the Messiah. Either way, it points to the same promise: God keeps his word.
| Sunday | Date (2026) | Common candle theme |
| First Sunday of Advent | November 29 | Hope (or Prophecy) |
| Second Sunday of Advent | December 6 | Peace (or Bethlehem) |
| Third Sunday of Advent | December 13 | Joy (or Shepherds) |
| Fourth Sunday of Advent | December 20 | Love (or Angels) |
| Christmas Eve | Thursday, December 24 | Christ candle |
Below you will find a responsive reading for lighting the first candle, prayers for church, home, children and hard seasons, and KJV verses for the first week. If your family just finished our 30 days of thankfulness, this is the natural next step.
Lighting the first Advent candle: a KJV reading and prayer
This takes about three minutes. In church, a family or two readers can lead it. At home, a parent reads the Leader lines and everyone else reads the bold lines. All Scripture is from the King James Version.
Leader: Today we begin the season of Advent. We wait, as God’s people have always waited, for the coming of the Lord.
People: We light this first candle, the candle of hope.
Leader: “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.” (Isaiah 9:2)
People: The light has come, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Leader: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)
People: God promised, and God keeps his promises.
(The first candle is lit.)
Leader: “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 15:13)
All: Come, Lord Jesus.
Prayer after lighting the candle
Father, we thank you for this small flame and the great hope it stands for. Long before Bethlehem, you spoke through your prophets and promised a Saviour. You did not forget your word, and you will not forget us. As this candle burns this week, let it remind us that our hope is not in a calm December, a full calendar or a perfect Christmas, but in Jesus Christ, who came once and will come again. Keep our hearts awake and watching. In his name we pray, Amen.
Tip: If children are present, let one child light the candle (with an adult) while an older child reads Isaiah 9:2. Giving them a part keeps them watching all four weeks.
First Sunday of Advent prayers for every setting
Opening prayer for the church service
Almighty God, we gather on this first Sunday of Advent as a people who wait. We wait to celebrate the birth of your Son, and we wait for the day he returns in glory. Now it is high time to awake out of sleep, for our salvation is nearer than when we believed. Wake this church up. Clear away the distractions of the season so that we can hear your Word. Let our worship this morning prepare room for the King. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
For more prayers to open a service or meeting, see our opening prayers for church.
Family prayer around the Advent wreath
Dear Lord, thank you for bringing our family together tonight. As we light this first candle, we remember that you promised to send a Saviour, and you did. Help us not to rush through December. Slow us down to read your Word together, to be kind to one another, and to look for ways to help people who are lonely this season. Fill our home with hope. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
A simple prayer for children
Dear God, today we lit the first candle. It is the hope candle. Thank you that you always keep your promises. Thank you for sending baby Jesus. Help me to wait for Christmas with a happy heart and to remember it is Jesus’ birthday. Amen.
Sunday school teachers can use this prayer to open class for all four weeks, adding the new candle’s name each Sunday.
A personal morning prayer for the first week
Lord, before the lists and the shopping and the parties begin, I give you this first week of Advent. My soul waiteth for the Lord, and in his word do I hope. Show me one thing to put down this week so I can make more room for you. Let me end this week closer to you than I started it. Amen.
A prayer for a hard Advent season
Father, the decorations are going up, but not everyone feels like celebrating. Some of us are waiting on a diagnosis, a job, a prodigal child or a grief that will not lift. Advent is for us too. Your people waited centuries in the dark before the light came. Help us to wait on you without giving up. You are good unto them that wait for you, to the soul that seeketh you. Hold on to us when we cannot hold on. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If this is the first Christmas season after a loss, our prayers for grieving families may help.
KJV Bible verses for the first week of Advent
Read one verse each day while the first candle is lit, from Sunday to Saturday. Every verse is about hope, promise or waiting.
| Day | Verse | Text (KJV) |
| Sun, Nov 29 | Isaiah 7:14 | “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” |
| Mon, Nov 30 | Micah 5:2 | “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” |
| Tue, Dec 1 | Jeremiah 33:14 | “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.” |
| Wed, Dec 2 | Psalm 130:5 | “I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.” |
| Thu, Dec 3 | Lamentations 3:25-26 | “The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.” |
| Fri, Dec 4 | Romans 13:11-12 | “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.” |
| Sat, Dec 5 | Titus 2:13 | “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” |
More verses of hope for Advent:
- Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
- Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)”
- Luke 1:78-79 “Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
- John 1:5 “And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”
- Isaiah 2:5 “O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.”
- Psalm 25:5 “Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.”
Frequently asked questions
When is the first Sunday of Advent this year?
Sunday, November 29. Advent always begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, so the date moves each year between November 27 and December 3.
What does the first Advent candle stand for?
In most Protestant churches it is the candle of hope. Some traditions call it the prophecy candle, in honor of prophets like Isaiah and Micah who foretold Christ’s birth. Both names point to God keeping his promises.
What color is the first Advent candle?
Usually purple, the color of royalty and preparation. Some churches use blue. The third candle is often pink, and a white Christ candle is lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
What do you say when lighting the first Advent candle?
A short Scripture reading and prayer is enough. Isaiah 9:2 is a common choice. The responsive reading on this page is designed to be read aloud as you light the candle.
Do you need an Advent wreath to observe Advent?
No. A wreath is a helpful reminder, but a single candle, or simply a daily Bible reading, works just as well. What matters is turning your attention to Christ during the season.
What is the theme of the first week of Advent?
Hope. The readings look back to the prophets’ promise of a coming Saviour and forward to Christ’s return.
Light one candle, and wait with hope
The first Sunday of Advent does not ask for a perfect holiday plan. It asks for a heart that is watching. Light one candle, read one verse, and pray one honest prayer. Next Sunday, December 6, the second candle will join it, and Christmas Eve will come sooner than you think.
Role: Founder & Spiritual Writer at TheGodMessage.com
About: Himanshu is a Jesus-centered writer known for creating clear, uplifting, and Bible-rooted content for modern believers.
Expertise: specializes in prayers, devotionals, and spiritual guidance designed to help readers grow stronger in faith no matter where they are in life.
Purpose: His mission is to inspire readers to connect with their inner self, experience peace, and understand the messages of the universe. “My mission is simple, to bring God’s light into your everyday life.”